Yassmine el Ksaihi, 24, is the administrator of a large mosque -- an unusual position of Islamic authority for a young woman -- in Amsterdam.
In a first for the Netherlands, men and women pray together in the Polder Mosque, although they are segregated, with women praying in the back of the red-carpeted prayer hall.
Sermons are in Dutch rather than Arabic. Non-Muslims are welcome, according to the USA Today website.
Theological experts say this is part of a trend, since many young Muslims in Europe are staying away from traditional mosques, and meeting in more casual settings for prayer and study groups.
Fitting into European society -- while at the same time remaining rooted in Islam -- is no easy task, as native Europeans often resent the growing number of Muslims, and sometimes discriminate against them in jobs and education.
Moreover, politicians in many European nations are seeking to limit further immigration, and to compel Muslims to abandon foreign customs, such as the Muslim face veil.
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